The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-03-05
AWARDS FOR WORKMEN.
RECOGNIZING THE MERITS OF PAINS
TAKING AND INGENIOUS EMPLOYEES.

The System Established Ia q Number Of
English Works-Gratifyi Experiences
of ship Building Firm--Ths Plan In
Vigorous Operation.
BY his observation AMI every day expert
cnce III the workshop, an intei.igent work
man viii bs constantly discovering better
ways OF dom, the ordinary work about his
bench or lathe than he was tau sht to 10, or
his fellow worsmen Continue in dong. IL
may no. r ach the dignity OF q pa:eatable
lmprovem 1T that ne mas conceived, but it
is Il wrinkle which increases the workman's
value to his employee anl at the s,me time
Ten .ors mis- labor less irksome to himself
1t is not the most ori ginal inventions tlat
always pay the best, Lut IL Is the little
things toe aggregation Of useful iieas Ike
ose sug gsestei by the different workmsa,
that Increases the capacity Of machine
shoa, and 81 es il reputation for gool
worA. And Il Is bu. right that the worx
man who suggests these improvements
whica are beue icial to The manlia tursr
sLoa'd 10 rewarded by his emrl, yer; and IL
it made the pra' ties in large establish
me2ts TO III 81 recognize the merit of the
most pain,taking anI ingenious wogkmen,
We bei ve tle EN- J.oyer wcuiI derive much
greater benefit than tue money outlay; pe-
sales, he would have til, gratih alton every
one feels in according a heiping hanl to q
worthy ler on.
REiU.AR SYSTEM or AWARDS
To encourage their wogkmen TO be con-.
stantly on the watch for any possible ini-
provemsnti, a r. guar system OF awards has
been esta l.sh,d in number OF English
works an !, after five y sars trial, has ju &
met with q success that has more than justi-
tied its !option The ship building iirm OF
Denny x Droth rs, ut Dumbarton, inAugu-
rated such system in tho summer of 1ssO;
and in rtcorlilg their very gratifying ex-
perience, we do so in the hope that Ameri-
can firms will be more generally prompted
to undertake a similar enterprise
The committee u independent judges who
decide upoa the awards have now issued
ilieir sixth annual r6pot, and placed 1t in
circulation among the workmon, to stimu.
late them to rene sed effort. Originally the
awards varied from $40 TO $50, according to
the worth OF the improvements for which
tie claims were lodged with tho committee
After q years trial, tho Messra Denny au-
thoriled ths committee to Increase thu
award where they saw iit, or, IL the wor4-
IL preferred, offered, In al ition TO the
award of 800 TO take out provisional pat
ent at their own expense, In which case tbs
firm reserved tho rigat TO use the improve
ment at its own works, but left the further
disposition o, the patent with tho inventor
In 1893, tie minimum and maximum
~ ards were increased TO Si5 AMI q rc-
specti, ely. Still little later, & was init
mated that "a premium OF 800 world Es
pal to each workman when ho had received
as many as five awards When he had re-
ceiyel ten, this would b, incrcasei to si25,
ami o on, So extra being added to tho or.
iginal p e;nium with each I've awards Tho
report for the year 1880 to 1851 inciusivs
shows that about So,6DJ was 4 sburs, . In
tbs manner, 81 ,ic0 being paid out during
the Latter year or this sum, 1850 went
in payment ior the regular awards, and
$i0J as four premiums
THE sCHsaE IN VIGOROUS OPERATION,
Up to this time, four inventions had
ga he'd the maximum award One Of these,
an improved method OF laying &he Decau-
Vile railway across the main line gained
an additional reward OF $50 from tho
paten:ee OF tho railway. One:half OF tho
rewards given were gained by workmsn in
the .oiners' and carpenters' department.
An arrangement was SO made with an
other iirm which had adopted similar
system OF awards by which any improve
mont introdl ed in either work, could bss
utilized in tle other by the payment OF 4
duplicate award to the inventor During
tue past year, the scheme has been
in vigorous operation, AMI In spite
Of the large reduction in tho number
OF men employed. the total Of the awards
has been greater than before Tho mini
mum reward has been reduced again to siU,
30 rs t. permit a larger number to be gi ZEN,
lut the maxlmlm award has been increas sol
TO s.a Tho system Of premiums has also
be N reirranged Vp fairer basis. When .
workman has received i've awards his pre-
mium is made equal to their total value
The s2S, however, is aided SUCCESSFULLY a.
before
The decisions OF the committee have
proved remarkably just, for Of the improve
ments ae ep.ed neAr.y every one has turned
out Of prasticai value. Tncy cover w;us
range of sub.ectS from mo hanisms Of gen.
eral application TO toe detailed arrange
ments on shipboard In number of estah-
!ishments in this country, tn, workmsn ara
financially encouraged TO make improve
ments in tito machines and processes In use,
but In none Of them, we believe, has tho
scheme been SO thoroughly systemati1ed A.
among tho Engiish worksrx -ScientiAQ
American